“Godzilla vs. Kong” is a Necessary High Note for a Dormant Industry

A pandemic box-office record is a signal of hope

Monster movies are fantastic. The formula is so simple, yet the payoff is so incredible. You put one massive critter next to another beastly varmint, give them a city to crush and you’ve got yourself a hit; fans can’t get enough of it. 

It’s a template that couldn’t be easier to use, and the movie industry knows this. 

Oftentimes monster movies and comparable ‘tight 90’ CGI whirlwinds hit the silver screen with frightening frequency. The creators of these films cram monstrous maelstroms and unearthly violence down the throats of their woolgathering audiences with a confidence that screams, “We know just how much you will line our pockets with cr*p like this.”

But these same Hollywood big wigs were just as shocked as the rest of us when the pandemic came into full swing. Under the pressure of shelter in place orders and countless quarantines, theaters were forced to shutter and box-office returns took a massive hit. However, one typically formulaic monster movie has proven to be a signpost of a booming entertainment economy on the horizon.

Released on March 31, “Godzilla vs. Kong” has shattered the record for movies released during the pandemic with an astounding box-office of $32 million opening weekend in the U.S. Although its box office doesn’t equate to pre-pandemic values, its strong theatrical opening suggests that more people are eager to regain the movie experience they once had. 

"While it's half of what it would be under normal circumstances, the weekend is a clear and positive indication that moviegoing has inherent strengths that aren't going away.” said David A Gross of the entertainment consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research.

Both Warner Bros. and Universal have made efforts to mitigate their profit loss by releasing movies on streaming services on the same day as their theatrical releases. With a decrease in theatre attendance, production companies are utilizing the in-home movie experience assuming that moviegoers are no more. However, “Godzilla vs. Kong” is indicating that streaming a movie at home doesn't always triumph over the movie theatre experience. 

“The results for “Godzilla vs. Kong” are absolutely mind-blowing and a represent a ‘welcome back’ of sorts for an industry that has been working its way back from the brink for over a year,” senior media analyst at Comscore, Paul Dergarabedian, told CNBC.

Over a year has passed without the traditional movie theatre experience, and moviegoers are itching to make their way back to the fresh buttery smell of popcorn and the familiar velvety red movie seats. 

The message reads loud and clear: “We are tired of being home.”

“People seem ready for emotional release, to experience that human connectivity — laughing together, getting scared together — and complete transportation that only movie theaters can provide,” Legendary’ vice chairman, Mary Parent, said in a phone interview with New York Times.  

Cinemas are optimistic that with vaccines rolling out and the unexpected success of “Godzilla vs. Kong,” more moviegoers will feel safe enough to return to the classic movie experience. If this happens, production companies might make the shift away from same day streaming and instead return their focus to theatrical releases.

“Godzilla vs. Kong” offers hope that the movie industry will prevail. What seemed to be just another mindless, modus operandi monster movie has now become a light in the dark.